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Former prime minister Lee Hae-chan
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The government and Uri Party continue with moves that smack of an attempt to bring about an inter-Korean summit, despite denials by everyone including the president. On Wednesday, former prime minister Lee Hae-chan, now special advisor on political affairs for President Roh Moo-hyun, visits North Korea to meet with no. 2 leader Kim Young-nam. Lee meets with the president of North Korea¡¯s Supreme People's Assembly in his capacity as the Uri Party¡¯s Northeast Asia Peace Committee chair, Uri spokesman Choi Jae-sung said.
A party official said there is a chance that Lee will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. He is accompanied by lawmakers Chung Eui-yong and Lee Hwa-young, and former minister for policy coordination Jo Yeong-taek. Lee is scheduled to meet with Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan on his way home.
¡ß Meeting Kim Dae-jung
Lee talked about the planned North Korea visit with former president Kim Dae-jung, the architect of the ¡°Sunshine¡± or engagement policy with North Korea. The two met privately at Kim¡¯s home for about an hour on Tuesday afternoon. Uri Party chairman Chung Sye-kyun on Tuesday admitted Lee could propose an inter-Korean summit during his visit ¡°if the atmosphere is positive.¡± A lawmaker close to Lee said there are expectations that Lee¡¯s North Korean visit will produce ¡°tangible prospects¡± of another summit.
According to the party, Lee¡¯s visit to the North was decided when the party set up the Northeast Asia Peace Committee following its national convention on Feb. 14, and the North sent an official invitation on Feb. 27. However, the party has reportedly been working for Lee¡¯s visit for longer than that. Rumor in political circles has it that lawmaker Lee Hwa-young and the president¡¯s long-time confidant Ahn Hee-jung met with a North Korean official in Beijing last October, and some say Lee¡¯s visit has been promoted since late December, after President Roh gave the nod.
¡ß Choeng Wa Dae denies a hand
Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Yoon Seung-yong dismissed speculation that the former prime minister is going as the president¡¯s special envoy, saying Lee did not discuss the North Korea visit with the presidential office. But Lee and the former policy coordination minister serve as the president¡¯s special political advisors. Unification Minister Lee Jae-jeong and Agriculture Minister Park Hong-soo gave up their party membership after President Roh left the Uri Party. But the former prime minister retains both party membership and the post of a presidential advisor, making him a likely candidate as a special envoy.
Opposition Grand National Party spokesman Yoo Ki-june denounced Lee¡¯s visit as an obvious attempt to prepare the ground for a second inter-Korean summit. GNP lawmaker Chung Hyung-keun said Lee will highly likely meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, since he enjoys the trust of the heads of both Koreas.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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